


C’mon

by scooterboards



Series: Musical Marvels [2]
Category: Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Ashes Scene in Avengers: Infinity War Part 1, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Needs A Hug, Feels, Gen, Grief/Mourning, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Light Angst, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-20 13:52:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14895806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scooterboards/pseuds/scooterboards
Summary: So come on,come onWith everything falling down around meI like to believe in all the possibilitiesIn the aftermath of the battle,the original Avengers reflect on their battles as they come together once more to discuss plans to defeat the mad titan.





	C’mon

_It’s getting late and I can’t seem to find my way home tonight_

_Feels like I am falling down a rabbit hole,_

_Falling for forever, wonderfully wondering alone_

 

He doesn't remember much after the battle.

At least that's what he said to himself.

He didn't see Peter fall to ashes,didn't hear his scared voice.

Didn't hear his apology.

So that's what he repeated in his head, like a mantra to himself the ride home.

_Home?_

What was home?

He was just going back to Earth.

"I put a tracker on the fox," The blue lady said,filling the space Quill left. "It read Wakanda,so we're heading there."

Tony counted to himself.

_One,two,three,four-_

"Was the boy important to you?"

He chuckled dryly to himself.

If he was (which he _definitely_ was), why couldn't he have saved him ?

"Did he have any family?"

That's when he remembered.

_May._

He took out his phone from his pocket.

His hands were shaking so much that he couldn't type her number out properly.

Dial tone.

He started to tap his middle finger to his thumb.

Finally,his phone started to count the seconds the call was on.

He forgot most of that too.

"Stark!"

May had ended the call.

So why was he still staring at her contact?

He should have died.

Then he wouldn't have had to.

"Stark! We're here! Get off!"

He was being dragged now.

He slung a hand over her shoulder.

She waded him over to the pilot's area.

"Yes,I'm here with Tony Stark. Stark?"

His mouth was so dry. _With as-_

No.

"Yeah,it's me."

He heard gasps on the other side,probably sighs of relief too.

"Come in."

Blue Lady sat back down in the pilot seat.

The vehicle moved forward.

Tony observed the landscape.

Any other day he would have appreciated it.Worshipped it.

So would Peter.

_Mr Stark,please-_

No.

The door opened.

"Alright." The blue lady said. "Let's go."

_What would my head feel like if not for my shoulders or without your smile_

_May it follow you forever,may it never leave you to sleep in the stone_

_Maybe stay lost on our way home_

Everything was in disarray.

Just hours after the battle, the remaining Dora Milaje were surveying Wakanda, listing down casualties and providing aid . Princess (or Queen?) Shuri was looking through how to handle the loss of so many and how to handle new threats that would grip Wakanda.

Steve had been walking around mindlessly until Natasha dragged him back to his room. He sat down on the edge of his bed, completely silent.So many thoughts were running through his head.He ran a hand through his hair.

Bucky.

Sam.

T'challa.

Tony?

What a _captain_ he was.

What a kind of captain doesn't know if his teammates- _his friends_ \- are even alive?

What kind of captain almost kills his friend with a shield straight to the arc reactor?

He shouldn't cry. He's supposed to be tough, he's the _cap_ after all.

Did Tony die by fighting Thanos?

Did he fade like Bucky?

He only brought a few things with him when he went on the run. There was the picture of Peggy he brought to war, a picture of him and Bucky from back in the _good old days_ were _everything was simple_ and a group shot before Ultron.

Everyone, Bruce, Rhodey, Natasha, Tony.

Everyone was smiling.

He missed that.

They made it easier to carry the _captain's_ burden.

How could he live without them?

He hoped Tony didn't fade on some planet, left to die alone in desolation. He hoped Tony didn't get a _heroic_ death.

Tony deserved a _hero's_ death after a long, _happy_ life.

It was the least the world could do for a man like him.

"Steve!"

He turned around and saw Rhodey at his doorway.

"Stark's here! He landed!"

Steve's eyes widened.

"C'mon, captain!"

_So come on, come on_

_With everything falling down around me_

_I'd like to believe in all the possibilities_

As he got off the ship, he remembered Strange and his words to him before the battle.

_"I went forward in time,to view alternate universes, to see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict."_

_"How many did you see?"_

_"Fourteen million, six hundred and five."_

_"How many did we win?"_

_"One."_

Was it this?

Had they lost?

Can they win the war while losing the battle?

"Mister Stark?"

One of the guards was guiding him off the plane.

"Do you need any help, sir?"

"Tony!"

His head turned up.

Banner and his lady friend increased their pace from a slow jog to sprinting as they saw Tony with Nebula and the guard.

"Tony, are you okay? What happened? What is _that_?" Bruce's voice rose an octave as he saw the patch job on Tony's abdomen.

"Nothing," He managed to open his mouth and say. Natasha placed a hand on Tony's chest and pushed him up."Are you okay?"

_Mr Stark, please, I don't want to g-_

"Fine." He muttered. Bruce and Natasha shared a look. Then they hugged Tony.

Sure, it was comforting, but it didn't feel deserved.

If he had just thought of the possible outcomes.

All fourteen million and six hundred and five of them.

And as more hands wrapped around him, he liked to think that the one possibility they might have won was this one.

_If I should die tonight,may I first just say I'm sorry_

_For I never felt like anybody_

_I am a man of many hats although I never mastered anything_

He wasn't good enough.

It all failed because he didn't try hard enough.

He just couldn't.

He wasn't even good enough to keep his suit.

He had disappointed Mister Stark.

He was responsible, why couldn't he be better?

Mister Stark would be so mad, he would _take away his suit again and he would reprimand him-_

 

But then _his gut started pulling inwards_ and _it was hard to breathe_ and "Mister Stark? I don't feel so good."

He was just fine. Mist- _Tony_ said so, he would be fine.

But it started to hurt way more and like a katana was being driven deeper into his body and he doesn't understand what is happening.

His legs give out as he grabbed onto Iron Man. His mind is moving a thousand mile a second because he doesn't want to go.

But he's still dying. Fading, like the insect girl and the green guy and the guy who punched Thanos.

But he deserved it, because he just wasn't enough.

"I'm sorry."

_When I am ten feet tall, I've never felt much smaller_

_Since the fall, nobody seems to know my name_

_So don't leave me to sleep all alone_

_May we stay lost on our way home_

So much had happened since he was gone.

The things Thor said already made his head spin.

But the Avengers splitting up because of a contract?

That was crazy.

But what was more crazy was how the Big Guy was so easily thrashed by Thanos.

He was so big and strong, he fought in Sakaar for two years, for god's sake!

But Thanos had just tossed him aside.

It made him feel _pretty_   weak.

After the fight, he was just stuck in the infirmary, helping wounded soldiers and his own friends. Most of them left with a quiet 'thank you'. Over coffee with Natasha and Thor, he had asked rhetorically if they had known his name. That made them laughed. He had missed Natasha's laugh.

At the end of the night, as most of the people milling around were returning to their quarters, Thor and him didn't know where to go.Thor was offered one of the few free rooms.Before Bruce was offered his own, Natasha pulled his arm. "Come with me."

He chuckled. He didn't need to be told twice.

_So come on, come on_

_With everything falling down around me,_

_I'd like to believe in all the possibilities_

 

He was following Rhodes, the raccoon thing on his heels.

He was starting to run as fast as he could.

Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay.

And then he saw him.

He stopped at the doorway.

Tony physically straightened, making Natasha and Bruce move away and stare into the doorway.

The two men made eye contact.

It was as if time stood still.

The air was thick with tension.

"Tones!"

Steve had left Rhodes behind when he ran. Tony had a genuine smile on his face when he saw Rhodes. "Rhodey!"

Rhodey moved as fast as he could and embraced Tony. "Can you stop launching yourself into space and being a self-sacrificing shit?"

"No promises." Tony joked.

Rhodey hit him on the arm. Tony grinned.

He moved to Tony's left, leaving Steve.

Steve took a deep breath.

He walked to Tony.

As he got closer,thoughts were whirling in his head.

_Oh I'm so happy you're safe I was so worried I thought you died You didn't deserve that-_

Tony stuck out his hand. "Captain."

Steve's mouth opened, ready to speak.

_I'm so sorry._

He shook the hand."Tony."

He hoped there would a possibility, a _chance_ , they could be fine again.

_Try not to mistake what you have with what you hate_

_It could leave, it could leave come the morning_

Tony didn't hate Avengers.

Just as much as he hated Steve.

He wanted to, _so_ much.

But he couldn't.

He hit the metal with his hammer more forcefully in frustration.

The royal guards had brought him to a vacant room as soon as _pleasantries_ were finished being exchanges.

Within an hour, he had set up FRIDAY up and was at the desk, using supplies he had asked for, found or (for some reason) had brought with him.

He was working on a new suit, a _better_ suit.

One that will grind Thanos into dust.

"Friday, sweetheart, what time is it?"

"It is seven forty-seven AM. You have been working for-"

"Way too long, Tony."

Tony turned around upon hearing the new voice.

At his door was Natasha, Bruce and Thor.

Speak of the devil.

"Tony, it's really unhealthy to be spend this much time working." Bruce said as he walked into the room.

Tony turned back to his work and reached for the soldering iron."I'm fine, don't worry about me."

_Mr Stark, I don't feel so good._

He gripped the iron tighter.

"Stark," Thor began. "You have to rest. It's been rough, my friend."

"I'm fine." He said through gritted teeth.

Why couldn't they leave him alone?

"Tony."

He almost dropped the iron.

"Take a break, Tony. Listen to them."

_None of this would have happened if you had just listened to me!_

"I can't."

The four standing shared a look. "You can't?" Bruce broke the silence.

"I have to work on this, I c-can't."

He stared down at the desk, gripping the front.

"I have to make sure nobody else dies,"  _Fading ashes crying tears-_  "And Thanos can't ever do that again."

He started to slip back into his chair.

"Everyone has to be safe." His face was getting wet. He wiped it away.

Steve was the first one to move.

He went to the desk. "You aren't the only one."

Tony looked to his side.

"You aren't the only one that has to keep people safe."

Steve swept a glance at all of them. "We all have to."

"But I could have seen all this coming, I could have stopped him-"

"Stark," Thor started. "You know Thanos can't be dealt with by one man. You need a team."

Tony looked up and around him. He smiled.

But then the smile fractured.

"Tony, what exactly happened on that planet."

Tony seemed uncomfortable and scared. "You don't have to tell m-"

"It was me, the wizard, the spiderboy and some Starlord;s group. We had a plan, according to the wizard who saw a shit-ton of futures, and then everything was great. Spider-twerp and I were taking off that gauntlet when-"

He paused.

"There was an insect girl, trying to make him sleep. She used his emotions to make him sleep, make him weaker, y'know, when she said he felt sad. Apparently, he killed Starlord's girlfriend and then he punched Thanos and then everything went to shit."

"He got all the stones because of us and then everyone started fading and then Pete-Spiderman started feeling bad and then he started to fade in my arms and-"

_I'm sorry._

"He apologised."

He wouldn't cry.

He didn't have any more tears to give out.

"Tony, we're sorry." Natasha stated as she walked to him, Bruce following behind.

"We've all lost something." she continued.

"But we can bring them back." Bruce finished.

They hugged Tony, immediately followed by Steve and Thor.

They were together now, as a team.

As a _family_.

In the end, Tony didn't hate Steve.

Tony didn't hate the Avengers.

_Celebrate the night,_

_It's the fall before the climb_

_Shall we sing, shall we sing till the morning_

That night, everyone was given a chance to relax.

The Dora Milaje had finally finished taking down casualties and patrol. Shuri had come out of her room for a break and to talk to Tony. The people of Wakanda were given supplies for any problems that Wakanda might face once the severity of what had just happened had sunk in, such as food shortages or weakened structures.The med bay was clear that night and everything seemed at peace.

Natasha and Bruce settled the dinner while Thor regaled the survivors with his stories from when Asgard went through Ragnarok (though he had avoided mentioning Loki as much as he could) Shuri and Tony were discussing some sort of machinery and they got on so easily.(Tony would, almost every two sentences, get wide-eyed and jealous whenever Shuri said anything about Wakanda's amazing and innovative technological advances. Shuri would always laugh at him.) Steve stared at all of this. He wondered how everyone seemed so normal.

"So, how are you, beardo?"

He looked to his side. It was the fox. The fox placed a bottle on the counter.

"Everything sucks, but take a break." The fox placed a paw on his back. "You did good today."

"Thanks." The fox placed another bottle and pushed it to Steve. Steve opened it on the counter and drank it.

He immediately spat it out. The fox howled in laughter. "That's the worst beer in the galaxy! And you drank so much of it!"

"You're drinking it too!"

"Cause I actually like it! Alright old man, how was the ice?"

_If I fall forward,you fall flat_

_And if the sun should lift me up, would you come back?_

Steve found Tony on a balcony, staring up at the rising sun.

Steve felt a grin spread across his face. "What's up, Shellhead?"

Tony turned back and gave a small smile in return.

Steve went towards him. "Just finished your run?" Tony asked.

Steve nodded. They stared at the beautiful view. "He'll come back."

"Who?" Steve looked to Tony.

"Bucky."

"How'd you know?"

"Saw the casualty list. We'll get him back." Tony clapped a hand onto Steve's back.

After a minute, Steve asked "Why are you doing this?"

"Hm?"

"You were ready to kill him about two years ago. What's with the change of mind?"

"He was brainwashed, it wasn't his fault." Tony kept his eye on the horizon.

Steve couldn't believe this. Tony was hellbent on giving Bucky hell for killing his parents. But now he wasn't.

"Plus, I talked to a kid who handled his grief better than I ever could, so that helped."

Huh.

"That spider kid was important to you, wasn't he?"

"He is."

"Don't worry, he'll come back too."

They headed back inside to eat breakfast.

_So come on, come on with everything falling down around me_

_I'd like to believe in all the possibilities_

"Stark! Steve! Shuri wants everyone, now!" Natasha stood at the hallway, blocking their pathway.

They followed her down to Shuri's lab, where Nebula,Thor,Rocket,Rhodes and Bruce were too.

"Rocket had a contact on a planet with name I can't pronounce, talking about a purple giant man meeting some lady. While the message can be fake-"

"Excuse me, Relda has never let me down before!"

Shuri ignored Rocket's interruption. "It's the only thing we have to go off of." Shuri took note of everyone's reaction.

Everyone wanted to get to this grape.

"We've tracked down the planet, and I found some sort of reaction that might be the cause of all those stones doing such a small thing."

"He thinks it's all over, but clearly he doesn't know what's coming yet."

"We will hit him when he least expects it and make him pay for everything."

"Let's get to work."

* * *

 

Finally, everything was in place.

A plan was meticulously hammered out after about two days.

Most of the team was riding in the Milano.

As people milled about in the ship, Nebula stared at the expanse of space in front of her.

Where will she go? What should she do?

After all this, what would happen to her?

What would happen to everyone?

_It's getting late and I can't find my way home tonight_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> (Side note: This is how I think it'll go down before I see Antman And The Wasp and Captain Marvel, so obviously this won't be happening on screen) Sorry if any of my portrayals are wrong or out of character. Honestly, I'm not good at writing non-scientist types. But since my school is going to get hectic, my posts will become a bit more inconsistent, as I will post (hopefully) every week or every two weeks (If that week is truly wanting to kill me) and not go MIA. I hope none of you see a drop in quality, despite less time spent on my writing.Leave any comments, suggestions, criticisms and such in the comments and kudos and comments motivate me a lot! Thank you for reading and understanding and I hope you have a nice day! -E


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